Oxford and Cambridge students oppose fee increase

Student Union leaders call on Nick Clegg to honour promises.

7:01AM BST 14 Oct 2010

SIR – The market-based approach that the Browne Review suggests (report, October 13) is flawed: everyone benefits from good-quality, accessible universities – they are an investment in the country, economically and socially.

Placing a market price on university courses will turn education into a financial transaction. Higher fees will price the middle classes and poor out of education. With more and more bright potential undergraduates being put off British universities, we will face a drain of talent, which will seriously compromise the economic recovery.

The proposed system will be immensely damaging to Oxford’s and Cambridge’s work to increase access, as well as saddling our graduates with huge levels of debt, coupled with higher interest rates. These rates will increase the total debt level to something that looks quite like a mortgage.

Earlier this year, Nick Clegg promised students that he would vote against any increase in tuition fees and signed the NUS’s “vote for students” pledge. We expect him to keep to this promise: large numbers of students voted for the Liberal Democrats, and there is no question that the pledge is a binding commitment.

SIR – A qualification that is available to 50 per cent indicates an average standard of attainment, and there is no point in paying through the nose for that.

An employer would surely be more impressed by the sense of an 18-year-old who applies straight from school saying that it is better and more economically attractive to all concerned to start work immediately, without going to the time and expense of getting an average “qualification”, if indeed that is the correct word.

John Shaw Ilford, Essex

SIR – Why not bring up to date the medieval scholastic year of six months in residence and six months of holidays and cut total costs by up to a third?

When it took days or even weeks to travel from Oxford or Cambridge, long breaks were necessary, but now, why not follow the lead of the University of Buckingham and offer two-year honours degrees?

Ron Rumble Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

SIR – If, according to your report (October 12), only 40 per cent of graduates will repay their entire loans, what is the merit of the others going to university? There are clearly not enough graduate jobs.

Robert Courteney-Harris Stone, Staffordshire

Inter-service sniping

SIR – In the debate over the future structure of our Armed Forces, I am sure

I am not alone in growing tired of the inter-service sniping by retired officers and others.

Their time would better be spent arguing the case against cuts in any of our capabilities and, indeed, for increasing the defence budget in this uncertain world.

Lt Cdr Bailey (Letters, October 12) obviously sees the evocation and celebration of our proud military heritage as a nonsense we could do without, especially in the Army. The bad blood that flows from such inter-service punch-ups does nothing to advance the tri-service cause that must be made, namely for an increase in GDP dedicated to defence.

Come on chaps, time for some joint operations.

Christian Forster Brampton, Cumbria

SIR – The maintenance of 3,000 horses has an enormous benefit to the Army in a number of ways. It fosters and maintains regimental pride and the traditions of units which, over the years, have distinguished themselves in the mounted role.

These troops are, of course, also trained in the use of modern equipment for when they are not on public duties but in the field. Bandsmen are trained to act as medics and stretcher-bearers.

Between them, in addition to their military duties, the amount of tourist revenue that they attract to this country is considerable and should not be dismissed lightly.

These “flummeries”, as Lt Cdr Bailey calls them, are part of what makes the British regimental system the envy of many other countries. To abolish them would be a sad and foolish economy.

Jeffrey Mills Casterton, Cumbria

They paved paradise

SIR – Your correspondent (Letters, October 12) who extols the virtues of buying fresh vegetables from a small retailer is fortunate to have a choice.

In the 1980s, an area of Chester contained a small parade of shops, which included a chemist, a newsagent and a greengrocer/fishmonger.

But a major supermarket was built directly across the road, absorbing the trade, and the independent shops were replaced by a beautician, a fast food outlet and a discount off licence.

Michael Cattell Chester

Grave concerns

SIR – I used to be responsible for looking after the local graveyard for my parish council (Comment, October 13).

We had strict rules governing the design of headstones and what could and could not be left on graves. These were generally respected and our groundsman removed dead flowers after one month.

Sometimes after the death of a teenager, packets of cigarettes and cans of beer would be left as youngsters gathered round the grave in the evening.

Six months or so after burial, this died down and the cigarettes and cans were removed without incident.

Duncan Rayner Sunningdale, Berkshire

SIR – If the bereaved wish to leave teddies and other tokens on their loved one’s grave, why not put them in the grave, as was done in olden times? This would be far more useful to the deceased.

M. E. van Rees Lindale, Cumbria

Separate scores for boys

SIR – It is true that much needs changing to create equality for boys at school (Letters, October 13).

Why are the exam results of boys and girls judged together when we do not expect this in most sports?

The marking system needs to be changed, with the top 10 per cent of girls getting A* and the top 10 per cent of boys getting the same.

Peter Iden Totnes, Devon

SIR – I have taught as a full time and supply teacher in dozens of secondary schools in two counties in England and in South Wales since 1995. It has become increasingly evident, when I look around the staff rooms, that between 60 and 70 per cent of teachers and more than 90 per cent of classroom assistants are female.

It has long been suggested that the fact that there are very few male teachers in primary and infant schools has an adverse effect on boys.

I’m not suggesting for one moment that female teachers are less able than men, but perhaps boys in secondary schools would benefit from more male teachers.

Brian Farmer Chelmsford

Fountain pen ban

SIR – I was amused by the report that an independent school is to ban the use of fountain pens (Comment, October 13).

At the grammar school I attended in

the 1940s, we were forbidden to use the newly available biro on the grounds that it would ruin our handwriting.

Rosalind Hellewell Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire

Advent avarice

SIR – My friend, who keeps her horse, Champ, at my house, bought him an equine advent calendar last year (Letters, October 11).

Dutifully, I pinned it up outside his stable, well out of reach.

At 3am, I awoke to a noise. I went outside to investigate and discovered my horse, John Wayne, had let himself out of his stable and was busy helping himself to the treats in the advent calendar.

In my nightie in the dark and rain, I was picking up horse treats assisted by Trevor, the dog.

At least this seemingly useless present kept three of us entertained, albeit at an untimely hour.